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Going off Mirtazapine 15mg

Posted , 8 users are following.

gay33737
gay33737

I have been taking this horrible drug for over two years now, originally prescribed for depression.  It never occurred to me that some of the things happening to my body were related to Mirtazapine because they happened randomly over a period of time and I never read the "side effects" properly when I started taking them. I take a lot of pain killers for various other ailments (namely Oxycontine, Ibuprofen, co-codamol 30/500, plus statins, blood pressure tablets, water retention tablets and I am also type 2 diabetic.  Massive weight gain - over 20 kilos over 2 years.  NO appetite at all but cravings for sweet things and fruit - lots and lots of fruit.  Because of my disability (I have osteoarthritis of the spine) I cannot exercise much except for swimming - that is if I can get out of bed!!! I just CANNOT wake up until around 1:00pm - thank God I don't work any more (I'm

67 and retired).  My mood swings surprise me and I am almost impossible to live with.  I was taking one 15mg tablet before bed each night and I have decided to get off them without going to the doctor.  I am cutting out one tablet every other day, then two, then three etc. etc. until I finally stop them altogether. So far, so good, but its early days.  I also have tingling in the feet and hands (for which I have seen a neurologist), an all over body rash which sends me mad with the itching.  I also itch in places where there is no rash too.  My mouth is always dry and I get bad headaches from time to time.  I've seen so many consultants for my ailments and they have all come back negative.  I know now that it is Mirtazapine that is causing all this.I can't wait for the time to go by until I an off them completely, to see if all my ailments improve,  Wish me luck!!

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • jackweds46
    jackweds46 gay33737

    Posted

    I also have severe chronic pain which I take opiates for. I am a type 1 diabetic and like you also have issues with excercise because of my pain. I very slowly came off mirtazapine from a dose of 30mgs. I cut to 15mgs the next reduced by 2mgs a week until I was at 4mgs. At that point I stopped, that was 7 week so ago tomorrow. I am still experiencing withdrawals. Mainly agitation, mild nausea, suicidal thoughts and a huge increase in my pain symptoms. However week 2-5 where allmost unbearable, insomnia, severe nausea, headaches, suicidal thoughts non stop, hot flushes.

    Basically this drug is awful and will probably take a long time to get off. But when you do it is worth it. Good luck j

    • elainec33
      elainec33 jackweds46

      Posted

      Good luck to you too.  I also live on cocodomol from osteoarthritis and have severe osteoporosis which I am told is not painful, so the chronic pain I have must be muscular at that rate but enough to stop exercising plus got a frozen shoulder about four months ago which hasnt helped.  I noticed on the accompanying leaflet it says one of the side effects can be depressed bone marrow!  Well I certainly dont want that on top of everything else, lol.
  • elainec33
    elainec33 gay33737

    Posted

    Hi Gay

    ​Really sorry you feel so unwell.  I was put on the horrible things back in December and increased to 30mg.  They didnt agree with me, got very aggressive and short of patience.  I was given them after 13 weeks nightmare of racing heart, nausea and insomnia which I now think is a thyroid problem and not anxiety and depression as they kept insisting.  I reduced down to 15mg for 4 weeks, then 7.5mg for 4 weeks and then 3.75mg (needed a pill cutter for that) and now I am off them.  I dont feel great anyway with all my other problems and so far the weight hasnt come off (around a stone I need to lose which seems to be my stomach). I am sure you will be fine if you do it gradually.

  • Dadoo
    Dadoo gay33737

    Posted

    Hi gay

    I have no doubt it is the mirtazapine causing your ailements as when I just read your fourum it was like reading about me.

    The weight has piled on me, I wake all hours of the night when I finally fall asleep that is craving anything sweet.

    I have also developed this short temper/bouts of anger it kills me to keep inside what I want to just scream out.

    My joints ache and I have zero motivation.

    I have started to taper off them and on to another as I am at my whits end what to do. I cry constantly and have days I don't want to get out of bed as it would be easier for me to just sleep.

    I am just 49 it is such an awful time not being in control of your mindividual. 😢😢fingers crossed for you gay!!x

  • cat196111
    cat196111 gay33737

    Posted

    hi gay read your page regarding mirt sorry to see your having so much problems with it wish you all the best cat1961
  • Baz.
    Baz. gay33737

    Posted

    Hi gay,

    Having read your review of Mirtazapine i feel i must agree with what you say about

    th side effects, I have have been on Mirt. recentley for O.C.D. as i have tried most of the ssri's

    but cannot tolerate the side effects. My side effects are like flu like symptoms, sore throat, headaches, complete lack of energy, legs like jelly, and generally feeling lousy, and no interest in anything or anyone.This is the second time i have

    tried these drugs, i will not be taking any more as i cannot function whilst taking

    this Mirt., i will try another course of C.B.T. instead. In my opinion this is a horrible

    drug, all it does is make me feel as if i am going crazy.

    Best Wishes

     

    • sue97090
      sue97090 Baz.

      Posted

      CBT has been shown in at least one study (published in the Psychiatric Times on 1/13/14) to be as effective as medication for OCD; and, interestingly, also as effective alone as a combination of CBT and medication. (That is, the medication didn't add any benefit to the CBT.)

      There are other studies showing the same is true of CBT vs. medication vs. the combination for mild to moderate deprression and anxiety.

      And I've never heard of CBT, if well practiced, having side effects or withdrawal syndromes. Of course, you do have to do the work, and keep "doing" it yourself after you terminate therapy.

      I used to be a big proponent of psychiatric medication for depression (I don't have OCD), but after years of side effects, medication stopping working, and discovering that meds I was put on have hellish withdrawal syndromes that I was never told about and that my pdocs obviously didn't know about, I have done a total about-face and would recommend that if therapy (or exercise, or getting a pet -- no, seriously) has been found in good studies to be as effective as meds, for heaven's sake try the therapy et al.. first.

      There are of course psychiatric conditions that are clearly biologically based and pretty much require medication -- bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. -- and for those, don't let anyone talk you off your meds, unless another medical treatment has been well-studied* and found to be as effective or more so.

      * The gold standard for research is a replicated multi-site longitudinal publicly-funded double-blind placebo-controlled study. Which is more than FDA approval requires.

       

    • sue97090
      sue97090

      Posted

      CBT here used meaning "cognitive-behavioral therapy"; not the S&M sexual practice that has the same acronym. wink

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